“Mr. Cruise, It’s getting harder and harder to accept these missions”

When the first Mission Impossible movie came out in 1996 I saw it in theatres, and I must admit I didn’t understand it.  It wasn’t till I revisited it on television 15 years later that the plot clicked.  The cast was excellent, (notably Henry Czerny,) the stunts were fun (an exploding aquarium restaurant) and Tom Cruise was stunning in his black v-neck sweaters.  Fast forward 27 years, and 6 movies later, and Cruise is saving the world again as IMF agent Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning.  To be blunt, this movie is okay, but the story has been sacrificed for stunts that don’t measure up to it’s more equally balanced predecessors.

As the Mission Impossible world has evolved so has the calibre of it’s actresses.  Notably, Pom Klementieff’s portrayal as Paris serves as the perfect balance of homicidal maniac and vulnerable ingenue.  You can’t take your eyes off of her during the car chase scene as she grins and laughs while pursuing Hunt.  Watching her performance is reminiscent of Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me.  This platinum blonde immediately commands your attention and holds onto it.  Within the constraints of limited dialogue and a one dimensional character, Klementieff is able to invoke a fear that is palpable long after the film has ended.    

With each new instalment, the story has had to play catch up as a means of moving the events forward. Dead Reckoning begins with a CGI’d flashback sequence.  While Cruise’s Rain Man hairdo (circa 1988) looks excellent, the narrative falls flat.  Instead of explaining why this new villain has been haunting Hunt’s memories for decades, the scene is rushed making the victim’s demise trivial.  Clearly the setup is to introduce a new bad guy, but without a back story there is no emotional payoff.  This apathetic storytelling continues into the Venice party scene as Esai Morales explains the all knowing Entity  The casting of Morales is a welcome addition, but is quickly wasted by giving him confusing dialogue to recite and a messy script.  It becomes clear that Dead Reckoning is all about the action while muddled exposition is used as a means to pivot from one stunt into the next.

There was a Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning preview on CBS on July 5th.  The 30 minute special promised a behind the scenes look at the movie.  What struck me during the special was Cruise’s instance that he had been imagining the climactic cliff since he was a child.  Instead of being intrigued by that statement I was confused.  When exactly did Cruise become Evil Knievel?  Cruise has superior acting capabilities without a doubt.  Born On The 4th of July, A Few Good Men, Cruise has been giving multi-faceted performances for years.  But let’s get real, there is no way he parachuted from a full speed motorcycle cliff dive, least of all 6 times as he stated during the special.  The transformation from actor to full blown stuntman came to fruition in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.  In that film Cruise’s exceptional physique is clearly on display.  While we know that Cruise was fully harnessed on the Burj Khalifa, watching him running along the outside of the building was completely thrilling.  When viewing the cliff dive in Dead Reckoning you only see an overhead shot of Cruise.  If he really did such an outrageous stunt why did Director Christopher McQuarrie not position cameras and drones from every angle to at least catch a glimpse of Cruise’s face?  We are aware that Hollywood magic is at the forefront of every summer blockbuster, but as an avid movie lover I don’t appreciate being treated as a naive, gullible viewer.   

With a variety of characters and stylish destinations the Mission Impossible franchise has expanded.  While the emphasis has shifted towards nonstop action no particular stunt really sticks in your mind.  Consequently, the notable decline in the plot has hurt the integrity of the franchise, even begging the question is the franchise nearing it’s end?  Perhaps it’s time to get back to basics and let Cruise’s acting capabilities drive a movie forward instead of an excess amount of outrageous sequences.